REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Saturday, December 24, 2005

AS the worst year of her young life drew to a close, burns victim Tess O’Brien had drawn up two lists that summed up her 2005.

An idea from her rehab team at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, six-year-old Tess drew up a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ list.

On May 1 that year, Tess was on her grandfather’s boat on her first fishing trip when two flash explosions rocked the 10m cruiser as it was docking at Main Beach.

Tess, with her father

Matthew, was thrown into the air, then into the engine compartment, with both suffering horrific burns.

She was assessed to have 35 per cent burns to her small frame, but doctors later upgraded that to 45 per cent.

The accident had been a lifechanging experience for Tess and her family, and the two lists were an important part of her therapy.

Her mother Sharon said the lists were drawn up at a weekly visit to hospital, then the whole family sat at the dining table that evening while Tess read out the lists.

“When I finished reading the bad one, I screwed it up and threw it away,” said Tess emphatically.

The symbolism was not lost on Mrs O’Brien, who smiled widely at her daughter in their home at The Gap.

The ‘good’ list was taped to a wall for all to see.

At the top was ’caught the biggest fish’ – so some good came out of that ill-fated fishing trip.

Number two was ‘got to meet Koby, Liz, Katherine, Carly, Jonathan, Nadine and Andrea’, all Royal Children’s Hospital medical staff.